Australia forward Reuben Cotter won't back down from Tonga's hulking pack as numbers reveal the gaping difference in size between the two Pacific Cup finalists.
There is a 57 kilogram weight difference between the five biggest forwards from the Tongan team that upset New Zealand, and the five heaviest Kangaroos forwards they are likely to face in Sunday's decider - assuming 19th man Lindsay Smith joins the bench after Cam Murray's injury.
The nine forwards Tonga fielded in last Saturday's game weigh in at a combined 1004kg, with Australia's likely pack almost 100kg smaller at 910.
If 110kg Keaon Koloamatangi were to return from personal leave and bump replacement Siua Wong out of the side, the difference would widen another three kilograms
No Kangaroo weighs above 106kg, but Tonga have seven players in that category. At 109kg, Tonga centre Moses Suli is bigger than any Kangaroos forward.
Tonga's forward back bulldozed their way to a thrilling 25-24 win over a similarly hefty Kiwis outfit to qualify for their first-ever tier-one final.
Cotter, 95kg, said that the final at CommBank Stadium would be decided by the battle between Australia's lightweight forwards and a literal tonne of Tongan muscle.
"It doesn’t scare me," the North Queensland co-captain said.
"I’ve had a few games in these big games against big packs, so I know what to expect. You just have to go hell for leather.
"You’ve got to give them their credit because they’ve been playing some great footy.
"We’ll expect nothing less this weekend. It’ll be a tough game and it’ll be won through the middle, so there’ll be a big focus on our defence."
Tonga prop Addin Fonua-Blake is among the largest players in the NRL at 123kg - a full 17kg heavier than the Kangaroos' biggest players Smith, Isaah Yeo, Lindsay Collins and Pat Carrigan (106kg).
The Kangaroos have the Cronulla recruit in their sights after he ran for 224 metres, busted seven tackles and scored a try in Auckland.
"Fonua-Blake's outstanding, the leadership he brings to that team," said Kangaroos winger Zac Lomax.
"Their forward pack's obviously unbelievable so it's going to be a massive test for us.
"They're obviously big humans and they're hard to tackle as well. I daresay we're going to be sore, both teams, the next day. It's exciting."
SIZE OF THE POSSIBLE FORWARD PACKS IN THE PACIFIC CUP FINAL
TONGA: Addin Fonua-Blake (123kg), Taniela Paseka (120kg), Jason Taumalolo (115kg), Haumole Olakau'atu (113kg), Eliesa Katoa (110kg), Felise Kaufusi (109kg), Siua Wong (107kg), Siliva Havili (106kg), Sitili Tupouniua (101kg) = 1004kg
AUSTRALIA: Lindsay Collins (106kg), Patrick Carrigan (106kg), Isaah Yeo (106kg), Lindsay Smith (106kg), Mitch Barnett (104kg), Angus Crichton (102kg), Hudson Young (98kg), Reuben Cotter (95kg) Harry Grant (87kg) = 910kg
